The move is designed to align the industry's largest annual gathering to the handful of other dedicated business aviation shows around the world, notably Europe's EBACE, Latin America's LABACE and Asia's ABACE.

"NBAA's largest US show has up to this point been referred to as an 'annual meeting', but in recent decades it has grown in size and importance to be much more than just a meeting, and this change reflects that reality," says NBAA president Ed Bolen. "The change also strengthens the overall brand for NBAA's shows, underscoring their status as world-class events," he adds.

The event that would evolve into the NBAA's modern US convention was first held in September 1947.

"In the decades since, it has grown into an event that ranks fifth in size for all US trade shows, according to Trade Show Executive magazine. The event draws around 25,000 attendees each year, more than 1,000 exhibitors and covers more than 1,000,000ft2 [93,000m2] of exhibit floor space," the NBAA says.